栈道 (zhàn dào) — plank walkway constructed on a cliff face; elevated covered passageway between buildings (in traditional architecture)

Definition

A wooden plank walkway built into a cliff face, like the famous ones along China's mountains. In traditional architecture it also names a covered passage linking upper floors of towers.

noun
plank walkway constructed on a cliff faceelevated covered passageway between buildings (in traditional architecture)
Measure word · 条

Examples

  • 栈道，。
    Gǔ dài de zhàn dào jiàn zài xuán yá shàng, fēi cháng wēi xiǎn.
    Ancient plank walkways were built on cliffs and were very dangerous.
  • 栈道。
    Yóu kè zài zhàn dào shàng xīn shǎng xiá gǔ de zhuàng lì jǐng sè.
    Tourists admire the magnificent canyon scenery from the plank walkway.
  • 栈道。
    Zhè zuò gǔ chéng xiū fù le lián jiē chéng lóu de zhàn dào.
    This ancient city has restored the elevated passageways connecting the towers.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
偏正piānzhèngModifier + head

The first part narrows down the second: it says what kind of thing the head is.

栈zhànplank
道dàopath

Plank plus path denotes a plank walkway.

Characters in this word

Most characters — around four in five — are built this way: one part hints at the meaning, the other at the pronunciation.

This origin belongs to the traditional form 棧; 栈 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
木木mùwood
Sound part声符shēngfú
戔
戔jiān棧zhàn
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The traditional form 棧 has a 木 (wood) part and a 戔 part used for its sound; the simplified 栈 is a later shorthand.

Open 栈 →

Most characters — around four in five — are built this way: one part hints at the meaning, the other at the pronunciation.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
行行xíngstreet
止止zhǐfoot
Sound part声符shēngfú
𩠐
首shǒu道dào
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

Early 道 showed a street 行, a foot 止, and a part written 首 or 𩠐; the right part of 行 later disappeared.

Open 道 →

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